Everybody loves Andy Murray

Murray wins semifinal to secure rematch with Federer for gold

Britain's Andy Murray celebrates victory in his men's singles semifinal round match against Serbian's Novak Djokovicat in the 2012 London Olympic Games at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 3, 2012.

Photograph by: Martin Bernett
, AFP/GettyImages

LONDON — It sounded like it came from somewhere near the roof, which slopes severely to the famous grassy court below. One man bellowed during a stop in play in the second set, his British accent drawing out the last syllable: “C’mon And-aaay!”

And that exhortation drew a secondary roar of approval from the crowd at Centre Court, a collection of tennis fans so enamoured with Andy Murray, they were happy to cheer a man who was simply cheering for their man.

They will all have another chance to join the chorus this weekend, after Murray bounded to a straight sets win (7-5, 7-5) over Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the semifinal match at the London Olympics on Friday. Murray will face Roger Federer for the gold medal Sunday, playing on the same court where he lost in a memorable final at Wimbledon last month.

Both men have already clinched a medal.

Murray, a 25-year-old from Scotland known until recently for guarding his emotions, was animated in the match, and emotional afterward. He won the first set with a forehand that screamed past Djokovic’s reach.

The crowd roared. Murray roared.

“Yeah, it was one of the most emotional I’ve been after a match, so happy to win,” he said afterward. “You don’t see me smiling that much, normally. I haven’t stopped smiling since I came off the court.”

Beyond the crowd, he also cited the Olympic volunteers, who are mostly from Britain.

“All the people that obviously came to watch and have hung around outside, it’s so different to what we normally experience in tennis,” Murray said. “We normally just get the people, you know, on our team congratulating us after we’ve won a tournament.”

With Wimbledon based in the west end of London and the main hub of Olympic activity based in the east, Murray had to forego part of the Olympic experience. It was decided he would not stay in the athletes’ village, for example, because of the hour-long commute between the two venues.

But he has enjoyed whatever has been available, from the judo and athletics on television in the clubhouse to the fact stories of his matches are buried on local newscasts, where he has largely become just another British medal hopeful.

Murray likely will return to the forefront again on Sunday, when he faces the man who beat him 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 for the Wimbledon crown last month. Federer needed more than four hours to beat Juan Martin del Potro in his own Olympic semifinal on Friday — 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 19-17 — and will be trying to win his first gold medal on Sunday.

“I don’t think going into matches trying to get revenge for something that’s happened in the past really helps,” Murray said. “You really need to try and focus on the future.”

As the sun set in west London on Friday, the focus was strictly on Murray. It was to the point where, in his post-match media conference, it was suggested to Djokovic that he lost because Murray was more motivated.

“I don’t know how it looked from the outside,” Djokovic said flatly, “but I was motivated, as well.”

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Britain's Andy Murray celebrates victory in his men's singles semifinal round match against Serbian's Novak Djokovicat in the 2012 London Olympic Games at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 3, 2012.

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